Make a self catering cottage in Chichester your home away from home

Situated behind a stunning natural harbour between Portsmouth and Brighton, Chichester is an exciting holiday town that offers a bit of the city, country, and coast all in one destination. Just over an hour away from London by train and car, Chichester benefits from having all the modern amenities of a city without all the fuss and the overwhelming size. The town is perhaps best known for its racecourse and Glorious Goodwood, and for hosting the Goodwood Festival of Speed each year, but will appeal to non-motoring enthusiasts as well thanks to a wide assortment of family-friendly attractions, history, beautiful countryside, and stunning beaches.

HomeAway has a number of beautiful holiday cottages in Chichester to choose from. Weekly rates begin at just £275, which is competitive with similar holiday apartments in Brighton and other south coast locations. Select rentals are also available on a nightly basis. Chichester holiday homes range from one to three or more bedroomed properties and can easily accommodate groups of six or more. In addition to being fully furnished, many rentals are pet friendly and enjoy easy access to the coast.

Things to do

-Beaches: Chichester self catering rentals are close to two Blue Flag beaches. The closest is West Wittering Beach, which features lovely views of South Downs and Chichester Harbour and features a lifeguard on duty in the summer months. Also within ten miles of Chichester is Hayling Island Beach. Very popular with visitors in Portsmouth holiday homes and Chichester and beyond, Hayling Island is a popular sailing destination and offers great days out for the family.

-Culture: The Goodwood Festival of Speed is the biggest event of the year in Chichester. Held in late June or July, the festival brings together vintage cars in a series of races. Supercars and F1 cars make regular appearances at Goodwood, adding to its appeal. In total the festival attracts well over 100,000 visitors each year and is one of the biggest events in the British motoring calendar. The horse-racing festival, Glorious Goodwood, held on the last weekend of July, is an opportunity to see power, speed and racing of the four-legged kind.

-Family attractions: The South Downs Planetarium and Science Centre is a fun and educational place to take children of all ages. It hosts special shows on almost a daily basis and will get kids excited about space and astronomy. Another excellent spot for the family to visit is the Fishbourne Roman Palace, which is the largest Roman home in Britain and surrounded by beautiful gardens.

-Outdoor activities: Chichester holiday homes sit between the Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and South Downs National Park. Both places are havens for wildlife and are great places to explore the outdoors either on foot or on a bicycle. Within South Downs National Park is Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve. The reserve is home to some of the oldest trees in the UK, some of which are 2,000 years old.

Weather in Chichester

Beautiful warm weather lasts from late spring into late summer and early autumn in Chichester. July and August are the warmest months and are also relatively dry. High temperatures during this time reach a very pleasant 22°C on average. Winter weather is characterised by cool temperatures with highs of around 8°C and lows near freezing. October is the wettest month of the year.

Travel to Chichester

At just over an hour from London, holiday rentals in Chichester are a good choice for a quick weekend away. Drivers will find the town easily accessible via the M27 and A27 coastal roads. Direct rail service also runs between Chichester, London Victoria and Gatwick Airport throughout the day.

HomeAway.co.uk, the home of Holiday-Rentals®, is part of the HomeAway family. As the world leader in holiday rentals, we offer the largest selection of properties for any travel occasion and every budget. We’re committed to helping families and friends find the perfect holiday rental to create unforgettable travel experiences together.